Project Management

A New Home for the Midwest Miniatures Museum

by Ryan | Nov 17, 2021 | Design News, Designing Public Areas, Exhibit Design, Graphic Design, Interior Design, Lighting Design, Project Management

The Midwest Miniatures Museum held its Grand Re-Opening on Nov. 6th, 2021, in Grand Haven, Michigan.

Formerly located at Hickory Corners on the grounds of the Gilmore Car Museum, the Museum had been looking for a new location that was much more accessible and fitting in aesthetic to display their miniatures collections. After an extensive search, they were finally able to acquire the historic Nathaniel and Esther Robbins House in downtown Grand Haven.

r.o.i. Design was referred to the museum by independent museum consultant, Timothy J. Chester, and we were engaged in 2019 by the Museum’s director, Ina Whitney, to assist in the design of the first-floor exhibit. We visited the Hickory Corner location along with Ina and the Museum’s administrator, Hanna Steinman. We selected the items to be displayed and began the process of designing the exhibit.

We designed new display cases and fixtures for the exhibits in a style imitating the interior trim of the home. In addition to supporting the curation of the exhibit, we also managed the execution. We engaged Bluewater Studio to create the exhibit fixtures, and their attention to detail and care for the artifacts made the project a success. We also added new gallery lighting to the historic home and worked with contractors on interior upgrades as needed.

The initial display shows some of the best of their collection from miniature rooms, complete miniature structures, a silver collection, miniature art, textiles, as well as displays of miniature toys, tableware, and so much more.

The museum is now planning for future phases and is engaged in fundraising to add an elevator and create more exhibits on the home’s 2nd and 3rd floors.

If you are in the Grand Haven area, you should plan a visit to the Midwest Miniatures Museum to see this unique collection.

Click on the thumbnails below to view larger images.

r.o.i. Design’s Remodeled Offices

by Ryan | Sep 22, 2021 | Design News, Interior Design, Procurement and Purchasing, Project Management, Workplace Design

r.o.i. Design moved to Front Ave NW twenty years ago into a building that needed a lot of repairs, but it had a lot of historical charm and a great location on the fringe of downtown. Over the years, we were continually surprised at how much our visitors liked our space, and while we saw the worn carpet and furniture, they loved the charm. So, keeping the charm, this year we started a refresh.

Our goals included overall cleaning, repairs, updating finishes, responding to COVID space planning, improving lighting, technology, and air quality. So now our seven-person firm has 3,500 square feet of office space (some just for meetings), 3,500 square feet of warehouse space for furnishings and a small workshop, and 2,000 square feet of library space for samples and materials.

The remodel/refresh started with a design plan in 2019. That plan included replacing flooring, some new wall paints and wall coverings, additional lighting, and some new furnishings. Plus, the building needed lots and lots of cleaning. Like many plans in 2019, COVID asked us to slow down, so we moved some projects forward in 2019 and 2020, but in April 2021, we decided it was time to “get it done”.

We moved out of our offices for 10 business days and organized the remodeling trades during those two weeks. We realized that it takes a lot of people, patience, and planning to make it a success, and because of the expert help and focus of a lot of people, we didn’t miss a day’s work!

We would like to recognize our interior designers Megan Hoekzema and Marianne Martz for their selections, carpet layouts, and furniture layouts.

We thank our procurement manager Ronda Geyer, for the constant reminders before the remodel to purge, organize, and get ready.

And we couldn’t have done this without Rachel Barszcz our studio manager who kept us on task.

And in alphabetical order, a SPECIAL THANK YOU to:

Action Plumbing for replacing the 20-year-old toilet. Just in time so we could get new flooring in the common space restroom.
Don Hampshire for rebuilding our steps to the garage, so they could be carpeted.
Excel Electric for upgrades in 2020 and timely responses to our power needs at the last minute in 2021.
Floorcovering Engineers LLC, John Quillan and team, for the expert installation of a complicated floor pattern in record time!
For the great support of our carpet reps, Ryan Morton from Patcraft, and Patrick Coulsen from Shaw. The carpets look amazing and it is a showroom of different applications and styles.
Huyser Asphalt for surfacing the parking lot. (Thanks for prioritizing us in a crazy COVID year!)
i3 Business Solutions, for moving our computers (twice!), lending us cable, keeping us all “online”, and overall moral support. And thanks too for upgrading our phone systems at the same time, retiring our dated desk phones and introducing us to VOIP.
Northwest Kent Mechanical for the updating of our four systems with air filtration and ion cleansing systems that protect us against so much stuff.
Office Furniture Details LLC, Joe and Team, who moved our furniture at least twice, installed new furniture systems and retired a lot more.
West Michigan Office Interiors, Jenna Henderson for fine-tuning our layouts, and Dean Clement for helping us keep on budget and on time.

Like all projects, ours is not quite done, and the budget is under review.

We celebrate our progress and the results so far, it is amazing! Let us know if you would like a tour!

Click on the thumbnails below to enlarge images.

Remodeling Our Own Office Space

by Ryan | Aug 26, 2021 | Construction, Interior Design, Project Management, Workplace Design

As commercial interior designers, r.o.i. Design has designed and oversaw the remodeling of many offices and workplaces. Very seldom do we take the time, effort, or expense to improve our own work environment. But finally, we decided to make some major changes to our office at 1451 Front Ave. NW.

Our process and planning began a couple of years ago. We had recently hired two new team members, and both were working from makeshift stations. We started to work with West Michigan Office Interiors for some of our clients’ projects and began a conversation about our own office. We designed a new office layout in collaboration with them and began the process of getting the remodel underway.

Then COVID hit… Obviously, that put a pause on the whole project. Despite the shutdowns and work-from-home scenarios, r.o.i. Design remained busy throughout the pandemic and finished 2020 strongly. So, in the summer of 2021, we resumed the remodeling.

In mid-August, we moved all our workstations and offices to a temporary space in the front of our building. Painters were in our space giving the walls and ceilings a fresh coat of paint. Then, the flooring installers laid all new carpeting with assorted colors and patterns for defined work areas. Finally, the furniture installers brought in all new office systems. Our IT team reconnected our computers and servers with minimal downtime.

We’re so excited for a better place to work, collaborate, meet, and serve our clients.

Stay tuned for more photos and updates as everything gets finished and we’re more settled in.

Click on the thumbnails below to enlarge images.

Evolution Wealth Strategies Opens New Office

by Ryan | Sep 16, 2020 | Branding, Design News, Interior Design, Project Management, Workplace Design

Our long-time friend at BluHouse Properties, Duke Gray, introduced us to Ryan Bassett, President and Wealth Advisor for Evolution Wealth Strategies, who sought to upgrade his newly leased space.

Ryan asked r.o.i. Design to assist in designing the space so that it represented the Evolution Wealth brand and gave customers an experience that delighted them. This redesign included removing walls to achieve a sense of openness while maintaining privacy where necessary.

Inspired by the fresh feel of the company’s logo, we created a setting that includes a neutral color palette with wood features and touches of the corporate colors. Eliminating the dated oak trim throughout the space brought the office into this decade in look and feel.

r.o.i. Design assisted Ryan in selecting furnishings and accessories. Thanks to Design Lead Marianne Martz, the project was managed to the end in spite of the challenges presented by COVID-19.

Click on thumbnails to view larger images.

The Timing May Be Right to Start New Projects and Save Construction Dollars

by Ryan | Jun 17, 2020 | Construction, Interior Design, Project Management, Workplace Design

Even though we don’t have a crystal ball here at r.o.i. Design, we are predicting an opportunity for building owners and developers to take advantage of the design and construction slow down caused by the pandemic. Many of our contractors tell us they are seeing a soft July and August with a pickup in the fall.

This may a perfect time for that light remodel, that small expansion, that improvement in light and air quality, or that upgrade to furnishings.

Office buildings with empty tenant space may want to upgrade their common areas and improve general first impressions to assist in attracting new customers.

Let us know if we can help you with some speedy design solutions so you can capture some summertime upgrades.

“Coming Right Up” – Projects Soon to be Completed

by Ryan | Dec 16, 2019 | Construction, Design News, Exhibit Design, Graphic Design, Interior Design, Project Management

r.o.i. Design is busy with nearly 30 projects this December, and three to four projects will be completed soon.

Funky Buddha:

Adding a fourth location in West Michigan, Funky Buddha is planning to open a storefront studio at “Studio Park” in downtown Grand Rapids this winter. Known for their “hot yoga”, this place is “steaming” cool. The team at “FB” engaged architect Jon Blair of r2Design and r.o.i. Design for interior finishes and details. They have refreshed their branding, as is evident by their clean new website. This latest location supports the brand in its simple but bold approach. Our contractor friends at First Companies, Inc. are making it all happen.

Burco:

A family business that produces and distributes car and truck mirrors and related products decided to upgrade its office with new finishes and in-office branding. Their products are creative and solution-driven, so why not make the office match that creativity? That means an expanded lunchroom with all new cabinets and furnishings, punches of the company’s “blaze-orange” accents, painting out the old mahogany trim, and all-new office furniture. It is quite a transformation! Thank you to Erhardt Construction for making us all look good.

West Michigan Pediatric Dentistry

This growing practice in Holland, MI is in the final phase of building their new office. West Michigan Pediatric Dentistry engaged the help of Dixon Architecture, r.o.i. Design, and T2 Construction to make it all happen. The new office includes expanded square footage in most areas from their current offices. Waiting, exam, treatment, and kids’ areas all grew. The much-loved model train and fish tank are being updated and replaced with newer models. In addition to the calm but kid-friendly interior finishes and details, r.o.i. Design was asked to design their new logo. And of course, we incorporated the train into the new brand. Stay tuned to see more of how this project turns out!

Grand Valley State University:

Using all of our skills in exhibit design, graphic design, and interior design, we created a soon-to-be-installed exhibit that will be unveiled at GVSU’s downtown Pew Campus this winter. It is always great to work with GVSU!